Employers
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the sole employer of border patrol agents.
Starting Out
Border patrol applicants must be U.S. citizens and under the age of 40 (although those in law enforcement or military veterans may be able to have this age limit waived). They must pass a physical examination, a polygraph examination, a security check, a drug test, a face-to-face structured interview, and an entrance exam consisting of the Border Patrol Experience Record assessment and Logical Reasoning Skills assessment. Once hired, agents are given Spanish language training and are tested on their language abilities.
After training and completion of the one-year probation period, a border patrol officer may be appointed to various ports of entry throughout the United States, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Southwest border states—California, Texas, Arizona, or New Mexico—require the most officers. While employment at these sites tends to fluctuate, depending on the employer's perception of need for a given area each year, the larger sites employ anywhere from 100 to 1,000 officers, and recent improvements in funding have guaranteed a steady increase for both officers and support staff nationwide.
An agent's placement is determined at the time of graduation. Not all states are equipped with border patrol stations, but all are required to have at least two immigration stations. Upon promotion, supervisory or investigative positions with the CBP may be available in these areas.
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